Robin Hood Tax - would have protected council services?

Following recording ban of 'Colindale Area Action Plan' decisions, is this openness at last?

Link to the web site

"Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles said today:

"Local Government Minister Bob Neill has written to all councils, urging greater openness and calling on them to adopt a modern day approach, so that credible community or 'hyper-local' bloggers and online broadcasters get the same routine access to council meetings as the traditional accredited media have.

"The letter sent today reminds councils that local authority meetings are already open to the general public, which raises concerns about why in some cases bloggers and press have been barred."

'Barnet Press' letter: Applicable to Colindale as well? (click to enlarge, maybe twice)

Barnet Times: "Resident Nick Poullora takes parking fine campaign to Barnet Council"

Link to Barnet Times

"Angry Colindale residents are taking their fight against parking tickets to Barnet Council tonight, in a bid to get their money refunded:

"We've been parking like this for years, and it hasn't caused a problem – but now the council have targeted us to make money."

More on-site green jobs in Colindale?

Director of Planning quits control of Colindale - and everywhere else!

Job Details

Director for Planning, Environment and Regeneration

Location: Barnet, North London

Colindale and the Campaign for Clean Air in London

Link to The Guardian

"His frustrations with the Labour government over its failure to act has been compounded by the Tory-led coalition. He believes it attempted to 'mislead' the European Commission in September, on the scale of breaches on dangerous particles, known as PM10s."

The Economist: Secretary Of State Eric Pickles's 'Localism Agenda'?

Link to The Economist

"The lowest tier of government in London is its 32 borough councils, serving an average population of around 250,000. But activists are hoping to set up new representative bodies, at a much more local level."

Barnet Times: "Residents in Mill Hill call meeting for showdown with Saracens over Copthall stadium plans"

Link to Barnet Times

"Dozens of people living around the stadium in Mill Hill are expected to attend the two-hour forum on 15 February, aimed at talking through a range of issues."

Evening Standard: "Boris Johnson recruits troubleshooter for the suburbs"

Link to Evening Standard

"The Mayor has asked Tory Bexley council leader Teresa O'Neill to help him tackle problems with housing, transport and employment in the outer boroughs."

Barnet Press: Blitz exhibition at the RAF Museum

Barnet Times: "New homes win planning award" (plus Comments)

Councillor Richard Cornelius, Barnet cabinet member for housing, planning and regeneration, said:

“The London Borough of Barnet is thrilled."

Barnet Times: "Redevelopment of Zenith House site in Colindale gets green light from Barnet Council for second time"

Link to web site

"The Zenith House site in Edgware Road, opposite McDonalds, will now have 309 new flats and houses built on it with a 16-storey tower as the centrepiece."

---

Colindale: an overwhelmingly car-based transport plan...

Evening Standard: "Londoners could pay £25 each in EU fines for pollution failure"

Link to Evening Standard

"The Localism Bill proposes that the fines - likely to be about £300million - should be devolved to local authorities, including City Hall and borough councils. This could cost every London taxpayer up to £25 a year."

Link to London Air Quality Network (King's College)

Link to Campaign for Clear Air in London

"Plans for 374 bedroom Aparthotel in Colindale given go-ahead"

Link to Barnet Times

“Despite the building being larger, slightly wider and higher it now has a more interesting design and because of the natural materials it is more sensible.”

Secretary of State Eric Pickles and his Localism Bill

Department of Communities Press Release, but summary is below

Builders forced to avoid 'Rabbit Hutches'?

Mayor Boris Johnson has ordered housebuilders to stop erecting rabbit hutches. Housing minister Grant Shapps has told them to carry on.

Is a delicious row about to break out between the Mayor and the minister? Sadly not: what Boris says goes in London and what Shapps says counts for naught, said a spokeswoman for the Mayor.

The minimum space standards being introduced in London next April mean that new homes in the capital may well be 20% to 40% larger than any new boxes stuck up in the minister's constituency of Welwyn Hatfield. Serves him right if the voters complain.

Courtesy of Brent Cross Coalition. Extracted from here.

Verdict on Colindale AAP

Click to browse, and buy the book

Regeneration Director at Hammerson (and new Lord Mayor of London) shuns Brent Cross's temporary 'rapid transit bus' for the Lord Mayor's Show 2010

 The City of London has elected Alderman Michael Bear as the 683rd Lord Mayor of the City of London, to serve from Friday 12 November 2010. The Lord Mayor's Show and fireworks are on Saturday 13 November (click on the Lord Mayor's new set of wheels, above). 



(Click above for Barnet Times)



Barnet Times: "Finchley civil engineer Michael Bear, who is a top executive at Hammerson plc, a partnership company behind the Brent Cross Cricklewood development, has been elected Lord Mayor of the City of London"

Link to the web site of the BRENT CROSS COALITION

Beaufort Park advert, St. George